Most large warehouse facilities are set up to make order picking as simple as possible. This increases efficiency and creates a safer work environment, but there is always room for improvement. A warehouse can be set up in more than one way and one method may be the best option for your business. Let’s explore three common types of order picking systems to give you a better idea of how they operate.
Zone
A zone method gives each picker a specific area to take products from. This requires different people picking orders than filling orders but it can expedite the process. For example, each person pulls items and places them in a shipping container which can be on a roller conveyor, or simply place items on the conveyor. Ideally, the process will start in one area of the warehouse and end up in the other area, somewhere near the shipping section.
In small operations, a zone setup can be one of the best order picking systems to use. Pickers are given order sheets (or may use smart phone or tablet pc apps) for a customer order, and they pull items from their section and place them on a conveyor. Items travel along the conveyor until they reach the trailer or staging area. A checker notes each item before loaders place them in the trailer.
With a zone system, order pickers can stay in one area and do not have to search all over the warehouse. In addition, because each worker knows his or her area well, products can be retrieved quickly and efficiently.
Piece Method
The piece system provides one picker for each order. This person travels the warehouse to fill the order. This method is simple and easy to understand, but it may not be very efficient, because there can be a great deal of traveling.
The piece method is often used for stored palletized items which are large and heavy and it’s not possible to use a zone system. In fact, a conveyor system may not be feasible in this kind of warehouse if most of the goods are palletized and moved by fork lift trucks.
Batch Method
With batch order picking systems, the picker may be given several orders at once. He or she then travels through the warehouse pulling identical items for each order at the same time. This can save a great deal of time because you only have to travel once for an item instead of making multiple trips for the same materials.
